The swimmingpool library is a 1988 novel by alan hollinghurst. Explaining why he chose ronald firbank 18861926 as his personal selection for the national portrait gallerys 2009 gay icons exhibition, alan hollinghurst argued that firbank is celebrated as a master of high camp, but he was also a radical technician and radical homosexualiser of the novel. Pdf cinema in the library on alan hollinghursts the swimming. The dazzling first novel from the bestselling, booker prizewinning author of the line of beauty and the sparsholt affair. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst, paperback. A s he was working on his sixth novel, alan hollinghurst. Not only does the novels narrator, will beckwith, read firbanks valmouth and the flower beneath the foot but firbank himself makes a cameo appearance in the diaries of the elderly lord nantwich. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst librarything. Sep 21, 2011 alan hollinghurst is the author of the novels the strangers child, the swimming pool library, the folding star, the spell, and the line of beauty, which won the man booker prize and was a finalist for the national book critics circle award. His first, the swimmingpool library, burst onto the scene the gay one and the literary alike in 1988 just as thatchers third government was introducing the section 28 laws. The exclusively male characters of the story operate within a world where the usual social hierarchy of class. The tautness and energy of alan hollinghursts novel derive from its. Alan hollinghurst is not a prolific novelist, with only five novels to his name, but he is an important one. The swimming pool library isbn 9780099268 pdf epub.
Sep 22, 2017 a s he was working on his sixth novel, alan hollinghurst. The swimmingpool library is a perfect debut, in that it arrives confidently, with a fully formed style and bank of themes that the author would go on to explore for years to come attitude. Oct 09, 1988 the swimming pool library by alan hollinghurst. A literary sensation and bestseller both in england and america, the swimmingpool library is an enthralling, darkly erotic novel of homosexuality before the scourge of aids. This volume analyses the terms camp and the closet in alan hollinghursts fiction, since all four of his novelsthe swimmingpool library 1988, the folding star 1993, the spell 1998, and the line of beauty 2004investigate the gay male experience throughout the. Narrator will beckwith is a beautiful 25yearold, supported by his doting grandfather viscount beckwith and dividing his time between his. He is the author of one of the most highly praised first novels to appear in the 1980s, the swimming pool library 1988, and was selected as one of the best young british novelists 1993.
However, i contend that this novel is so good that it transcends any such categorization. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The item may have identifying markings on it or show other signs of previous use. Alan hollinghurst is the author of the novels the swimming pool library.
Alan hollinghurst, ronald firbank and the swimmingpool library in. He is the author of one of the most highly praised first novels to appear in the 1980s, the swimmingpool library 1988, and was selected as one of the best young british novelists 1993. The swimmingpool library is a perfect debut, in that it arrives. Includes bibliographic data, information about the author of the ebook, description of the ebook and other if such information is available. The swimmingpool library vintage international kindle edition. Young, gay, william beckwith spends his time, and his trust fund, idly cruising london for erotic encounters. Download and save all data of the swimmingpool library book in one free pdf file. Lord nantwich asks will to write his personal memoir, and slowly more a more of the characters are reveled by the readings of lord n. In 1983 london, will, a privileged, gay, sexually irresistible 25yearold, saves the life of an elderly aristocrat who has a heartattack in a public. Before the swimmingpool library, jenkins recalled in 2004, it didnt.
This article analyses the presence of the cinema in alan hollinghursts first novel the swimmingpool library 1988. May have page creases, creased spine, bent cover or markings inside. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst overdrive. Publication date 1988 topics gay men fiction, london england fiction publisher random house. The swimmingpool library is set in a similar time and has a majority of homosexual characters, but by all other standards the two shouldnt be compared so. Oct 23, 2015 today were finally talking about alan hollinghurst s the swimming pool library. Paperback the item is fairly worn but still readable. He was on the staff of the times literary supplement from 1982 to 1995.
The swimming pool library is set in a similar time and has a majority of homosexual characters, but by all other standards the two shouldnt be compared so. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the swimming pool library vintage international. In 2004, he won the man booker prize for the line of. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst the 635th. Alan hollinghurst was born in stroud in gloucestershire, england in 1954 and was educated at magdalen college, oxford. English language and literature studies literature publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay. The swimmingpool library the summer of 1983, narrator will beckwith notes at the opening of the swimmingpool library, was to be. Alan hollinghurst is the author of five novels, the swimmingpool library, the folding star, the spell, the line of beauty and the strangers child. If youve not read hollinghurst, the place to begin is probably with his exquisite first novel, the swimmingpool library 1988, or the line of beauty. He is the author of one of the most highly praised first novels to appear in the 1980s, the swimming pool library, and was selected as one of the best of young british novelists 1993. Section 28 was passed in england inbut was proposed, debated, protested, and hotly contested all through the mid.
In 1994, he won the james tait black memorial prize for the folding star. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst penguin. The swimmingpool library vintage international kindle edition by hollinghurst, alan. Alan hollinghurst is the author of the novels the strangers child, the swimmingpool library, the folding star, the spell, and the line of beauty, which won the man booker prize and was a finalist for the national book critics circle award. Sex and sensibility in the novels of alan hollinghurst. In 1989, hollinghurst won the somerset maugham award for the swimming pool library. Apr 17, 2017 firbank is a powerful presence in hollinghursts 1988 novel the swimmingpool library. Published in 1988, alan hollinghursts debut the swimmingpool library is undoubtedly his most carnal novel.
He has received the somerset maugham award, the james tait black memorial prize for fiction and the 2004 man booker prize. His acclaimed first novel, the swimmingpool library 1988, gives a vivid account of london gay life in the early 1980s through the story of a young aristocrat, william beckwith. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst books on. This article analyses the presence of the cinema in alan hollinghurst s first novel the swimmingpool library 1988. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst waterstones. The swimming pool library isbn 9780099268 pdf epub alan. The presentation of men and male relationships in three contemporary british novels alan hollinghursts the swimmingpool library, nick hornbys high fidelity and irvine welshs trainspotting symon nicklas thesis m. Buy the swimmingpool library vintage classics by alan hollinghurst isbn. Will beckwith, the randy gay protagonist of alan hollinghursts the swim ming pool library, sometimes takes pause from his hectic sex life to muse on the legal.
Building on the work of roland barthes and kristin thompson on the obtuse and excess, i argue that cinema does. Alan hollinghurst talks to stephen moss about living alone, the allure of the upper classes and why hes not just a gay writer any more. In presenting the protagonists libidinous pursuit of black sexual partners in 1980s london as recycling some of the exploitative behaviours of colonial. Alan hollinghursts the swimmingpool library is considered a classic of gay literature and justly so. This is a brilliantly constructed, multilayered novel rich in both interesting characters and history. A literary gay novel from england that contrasts the uninhibited preaids sex scene with gay life of earlier decades. Hollinghurst, camp and closet by serkan ertin overdrive. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst a literary sensation and bestseller both in england and america, the swimmingpool library is an enthralling, darkly erotic novel of homosexuality before the scourge of aids. Alan hollinghurst is the author of the novels the strangers child, the swimming pool library, the folding star, the spell, and the line of beauty, which won the man booker prize and was a finalist for the national book critics circle award. He follows the traditions set by forster and combines them with other influences.
The swimming pool library 1988 depicts a homosexual subsection of london. Mar 12, 2018 if youve not read hollinghurst, the place to begin is probably with his exquisite first novel, the swimmingpool library 1988, or the line of beauty. Cinema in the library alan oleary, university of leeds 1. The second, later novel is the swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst. Alan hollinghurst s the swimming pool library is considered a classic of gay literature and justly so. Pdf cinema in the library on alan hollinghursts the. The swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst kirkus. Looking at his back catalogue, from his 1988 debut novel the swimming pool library to the line of beauty. Alan hollinghurst is the author of the novels the swimmingpool library. In alan hollinghursts latest, a hazy sex scandal looms over. Jan 22, 2012 the swimming pool library 1988 depicts a homosexual subsection of london. In alan hollinghursts debut novel, the swimmingpool library, will, a promiscuous, selfabsorbed layabout, finds his upperclass world both shaken and stirred.
The presentation of men and male relationships in three contemporary british novels alan hollinghurst s the swimming pool library, nick hornbys high fidelity and irvine welshs trainspotting symon nicklas thesis m. As some of you may have noticed, i dont do a lot of video. Published in 1988, alan hollinghursts debut the swimmingpool. Hollinghursts the swimmingpool library marcin sroczynski university of warsaw abstract. The line of beauty, winner of the 2004 man booker prize and a finalist for the national book critics circle award. Feb 22, 1988 a literary sensation and bestseller both in england and america, the swimming pool library is an enthralling, darkly erotic novel of homosexuality before the scourge of aids. His second novel, the folding star, won the james tait black memorial prize and was shortlisted for the 1994 booker prize. Mar 25, chris chapman rated it it was amazing shelves. Mar 18, 2020 the swimming pool library by alan hollinghurst. The swimmingpool library alan hollinghurst, samuel west on free shipping on qualifying offers. The swimming pool library vintage international kindle edition by hollinghurst, alan.
Signs of wear include aesthetic issues such as scratches, worn covers, damaged binding. He is the author of one of the most highly praised first novels to appear in the 1980s, the swimmingpool library, and was selected as one of the best of young british novelists 1993. In 1974, hollinghurst was awarded the newdigate prize. Set in 1983, the novel describes the bohemian lifestyle of the promiscuous will beckwith, a young man of aristocratic descent, who spends his days gorging on culture and young men, frequently picking up boys at the corinthian club. According to yet another poet and tls deputy editor, alan jenkins, it wasnt the most joyful period of hollinghursts life. This essay explores the vexed matters of race and empire in alan hollinghurst s the swimming pool library, tracing the lines of connection between colonial and contemporary constructions of otherness upon which the novel dwells. Delaware county district library ohio scanned in china. Section 28 was passed in england inbut was proposed, debated, protested, and hotly. Likely because hollinghurst writes of the world not during its zenith but looks back at it wistfully. Firbank is a powerful presence in hollinghursts 1988.
The marriage between sex and death in western literature seems indissoluble. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading. Editions of the swimmingpool library by alan hollinghurst. Alan hollinghurst is among britains most highlyrated literary novelists, whose bestknown book the line of beauty 2004, winner of that years man booker prize, is a tourdeforce envisioning of the thatcher years as an era of doomed romance. Alan hollinghurst the swimming pool library pdf editions. The swimmingpool library vintage international kindle. The swimming pool library, his sexdrenched first book. In alan hollinghursts latest, a hazy sex scandal looms. Today were finally talking about alan hollinghursts the swimming pool library. Narrator will beckwith is a beautiful 25yearold, supported by his doting grandfather viscount beckwith and dividing his time. Looking at his back catalogue, from his 1988 debut novel the swimmingpool library to the line of beauty. This chapter analyses the presence of the cinema in hollinghursts the swimming pool. This essay explores the vexed matters of race and empire in alan hollinghursts the swimmingpool library, tracing the lines of connection between colonial and contemporary constructions of otherness upon which the novel dwells. The infamous clause prohibited local authorities disseminating material deemed to be endorsing.